Physics

Plastic optical fiber

Mathematics

Laser

PHOSFOS

Optics

Composite material

Fiber laser

Fiber optic sensor

Materials science

Polycarbonate

Optical fiber

Geometry

Grating

Fiber Bragg grating

Inscribed figure

Optoelectronics

Fiber

Polymer

Wavelength

Optics Express

This paper presents fiber Bragg grating (FBG) inscription with a pulsed 248 nm UV KrF laser in polymer optical fibers (POFs) made of different polymers, namely polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), cyclic-olefin polymer and co-polymer, and Polycarbonate. The inscribed gratings and the corresponding inscription parameters are compared with grating inscribed in POFs made of the aforementioned materials but with the hitherto most used laser for inscription, which is a continuous wave 325 nm UV HeCd laser. Results show a reduction of the inscription time of at least 16 times. The maximum time reduction is more than 130 times. In addition, a reflectivity and a bandwidth close to or higher than the ones with the 325 nm laser were obtained. The polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings (POFBGs) inscribed with the 248 nm laser setup present high stability with small variations in their central wavelength, bandwidth, and reflectivity after 40 days.

Fast and stable gratings inscription in POFs made of different materials with pulsed 248 nm KrF laser